American Music Mix, Part 1:
Folk to Rhythm & Blues
Folk to Rhythm & Blues
This style features groups of talented musicians who improvise during performances, blending African American folk music with European classical influences.
What is jazz?
This style began in the 1950s, mixing white and Black cultures, featuring a typical band setup with a lead singer, guitars, bass, and drums, and helped young people feel like they had their own music.
What is Rock ‘n’ Roll?
Whether he’s at a party or in nature, the artist can’t escape this constant mental image, which distracts him and fuels his obsession.
Who is the woman he loves?
You can be happy or sad, but film composers use tools like tempo, dynamics, and instrumentation to create this in their music.
What is mood?
“Me and the Devil Blues”, “Thriller”, “Monster Mash”
What is Halloween?
This type of traditional music, often called roots music, includes songs passed down through families and communities, coming from places like the British Isles, Europe, and Africa.
What is American folk music?
Known for its friendly, easy-to-enjoy songs that don’t stick to one style, this music is all about fun and bringing different cultures together, including Britpop and disco styles.
What is Pop music?
This strong emotion inspires the main character to compose a passionate melody that keeps returning in the first movement of “Symphonie fantastique.”
What is love?
Movie composers use music to show where and when a story happens by choosing instruments, rhythms, and melodies that match the time, place, or culture.
What is setting the scene?
"Lift Every Voice and Sing", "We Shall Overcome", "Say It Loud – I'm Black and I'm Proud"
What is Black History Month?
Named in 1949, this style combines gospel's catchy beats with the warm sounds of blues and inspired many popular musicians.
What is rhythm and blues (R&B)?
This music emphasizes the offbeat for a relaxed sound and became famous worldwide with styles like ska and reggae.
What is Jamaican music?
In the final movement, the artist imagines a wild scene where his beloved joins witches at a funeral party, and the “Dies irae” chant is mixed with this kind of creepy and silly music.
What is a witches’ dance?
(Accept: What is the Witches’ Sabbath?)
A short musical idea connected to a character, idea, or emotion helps us understand the story better. Film composers use these to show how characters change.
What is a leitmotif?
“Choctaw-Chickasaw Drum Dance”, "Daybreak Vision", "Land Back"
What is Native American Heritage Month?
Starting in the 1920s, this popular music style from the rural South was one of the first types of music played on the radio and often sings about everyday life, family, and home.
What is country music?
This music style became popular in the U.S. with dances like the cha cha and rumba and often features congas and other percussion.
What is Latin music?
In the countryside, the peaceful sound of two shepherds calling to each other calms the artist—until this darker idea creeps in and fills the music with sadness.
What is the fear of betrayal?
This famous composer uses leitmotifs to make Darth Vader sound powerful and threatening, build suspense in Jaws, and create bold themes for Indiana Jones and Superman.
Who is John Williams?
“The Best” (Tina Turner), “Conga” (Gloria Estefan), “Strange Things Happening Every Day” (Sister Rosetta Tharpe)
What is Women's History Month?
This music, once called “race music,” helped people express feelings about hard lives and often spread through “rent parties” in cities.
What is the blues?
This unique style mixes jazz melodies and improvisation with rock instruments like electric guitars and synthesizers, blending multiple genres to create something new.
What is fusion?
After dreaming that he has killed his beloved, the artist imagines this terrifying moment, soundtracked by a twisted funeral march with crashing drums and a flash of his old love theme.
What is his execution?
(Accept: What is the march to the scaffold?)
Using Mexican music and instruments, this film celebrates a holiday honoring ancestors.
What is Coco?
“I Believe” (DJ DJ Khaled), “STANNA” (Lana Lubany), “5am in Paris” (Saint Levant)
What is Arab American Heritage Month?